Very large numbers of golf balls are needed at some types of golfing facility such as at driving ranges. Buckets of balls obtained from a storage bin are given to participants. The balls become scattered over a sizable area and are then gathered and washed and returned to the storage bin. The storage bin typically extends to a higher elevation than the ball washer. Thus washed balls must be lifted in order to be returned to the bin. Handling of the balls is more efficient and convenient if a motorized conveyor is used to return the balls from the washer to the bin.
One form of conveyor for translating golf balls has a ball guide which is curved to extend along a portion of the circumferential surface of a motor driven resilient wheel, the guide being spaced from the wheel surface sufficiently to enable a column of balls to pass between the guide and wheel. Pressure of the rotating wheel against the balls drives the balls along the guide. A ball delivery conduit extends away from the ball outlet end of the guide. The weight of the of the balls in an upwardly extending delivery conduit creates a resistance to the upward travel of the column of balls which increases as the height of the column increases. This resistance may eventually overcome the driving force exerted on the balls by the rotating wheel resulting in stalling of the column of balls. This can undesirably limit the elevation to which balls can lifted by the conveyor. The effect may, for example, dictate use of a storage bin of less than the most desirable height and capacity.
The present invention is directed to overcoming one or more of the problems discussed above.